Tips On Choosing The Latest Mobile Handsets

For many people, every 18 months leaves them with a difficult decision, mainly because you will be choosing an item that you will be spending every day with for the duration of the contract. So where to start? Well there is a large range of handsets out there that vary from value and specifications, all of which can be split up into categories to help make it easier. Especially since the Android market has blown up at an extraordinary rate recently and with the iPhone still the mobile king there is a lot of competition out there willing to take it's throne.

The aesthetics for many plays the largest role when making their choice, hence the iPhone being so popular because it brings simplicity and good looks with an extensive range of options and specifications. But there is much more to consider and no hasty decisions must be made until a considerable amount of research has been carried out.

Although the other choice that comes to mind when choosing a new handset is the availability of apps, currently Apple is leading the way with approximately 350,000+ and Android comes a close second with 250,000+. In the near future you can expect Blackberry and Windows 7 apps to greatly increase and create a much larger portfolio than the current 10-20,000+ that exist for both today. Even so all the 'major' apps such as Angry Birds will be available to all four. The main selling point for the Android apps is because their open source and for many people this is important, as apps can be developed by a much more wide and varied group of people.

If apps is not what your looking for but instead a handset that can offer more than just a phone, for example most phones now often come with a minimum of 8GB memory cards enabling storage that wasn't available just a few years ago. Meaning you can upload all your MP3's and save yourself carrying around a MP3 player along with your phone. Sony Ericsson offer the 'Walkman' series that come with upgraded earphones and offer good sound quality that can rival the iPhone, that is also an iPod.

Although this sounds great and you can't wait to go out and buy or instantly order your new phone now there is a few things to take into account before choosing the first handset that catches your eye. Firstly, because the handsets are becoming more and more expensive, the monthly contract prices have crept up and now sit at 24 months for many of the newly introduced Androids and iPhone. Using the iPhone as an example you can clearly see the difference when choosing an 18 month contract to the 24 month contract, regardless of the plan. With similar minutes and call time an 18 month contract that costs £35 per month with the additional one off payment of £230 for the handset. The 24 month contract at £35 also, will mean the handset only costs £99. Although this is en extreme because it's the top range iPhone at a large monthly allowance it can clearly show at what it could cost if not looking at all the available options.

With many alternatives out there, there is a lot of low-end options that can offer a high specifications. Such as the HTC's and Samsung's others that are on offer, while still offering a large range of apps and full touch screen. Going down this route could enable to buy the handset as pay-as-you-go, instead of using pay monthly mobiles and contracts and can start from £50 and then choose to sign up to a contract that is rolling month per month and offers compete flexibility and very attractive monthly tariffs.

So remember to weigh up all your options and to consider not just going for the 'well known' and the predictable option and surprise yourself and your friends with something new and different that will help you stand out form the crowd.